Morehouse College senior Aniaba Jean-Baptiste N’guessan has earned one of the world’s most prestigious academic honors, securing the Rhodes Scholarship for the West Africa constituency while pursuing an ambitious triple major. N’guessan’s achievement places him among a select group of global scholars and adds another milestone to Morehouse’s enduring legacy of academic excellence and leadership.
The Rhodes Scholarship, established in 1902, is the world’s oldest international postgraduate award. With this honor, N’guessan will pursue graduate studies in economics at the University of Oxford. As if that weren’t impressive enough, he is completing a rigorous triple major in economics, mathematics, and computer science. N’guessan becomes the sixth Morehouse student to earn the prestigious scholarship.
“In my first few months as president, I’ve had several opportunities to interact with Aniaba and get to know him as a young man and ambitious student,” said Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, president of Morehouse College. “As impressive as his background and academic achievements are, his humble leadership and willingness to serve resonate just as powerfully. His selection as a Rhodes Scholar is another profound testament to his tireless dedication and intellectual caliber. We are immensely proud of him and how exceptionally he represents the mission and ethos of Morehouse College.”
N’guessan can now add Rhodes Scholar to an already exceptional résumé. He is also an Oprah Winfrey Scholar and a two-term president of the International Students Organization. In addition, he is the co-founder of Viridis AI, a life-management platform powered by artificial intelligence and cognitive science.
N’guessan’s talents extend far beyond the Morehouse campus. He has contributed to projects on AI-driven causal inference and economic development as a research assistant at Stanford University and developed computational models to classify brain signals during his work at Emory University. Before enrolling at Morehouse, N’guessan studied at the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“Morehouse prepared me for this moment, not only by sharpening my intellect, but by grounding me in purpose, service, and the belief that leadership must uplift others. The trust, guidance, and institutional support I received from Morehouse faculty and mentors gave me the confidence and the calling to pursue opportunities like the Rhodes,” said N’guessan.
